Xeno Objects, an environmentally friendly design company based in Austin, Texas, manufactures its products in Vietnam and looks to Asia for many of its materials and manufacturing techniques. Its newest product is a building material called Gap Board, a water-resistant bamboo sheet board that can be used for walls, flooring, shelving, and countertops. The boards are made with hard-pressed bamboo strips, which adhere to form durable boards. Organic resin is used for the colorful surface design. Each board is handmade, allowing for customization in different colors, and can be ordered in sheets as large as 4-by-8 feet and at varying thicknesses. At a thickness of 3 /8 inch, the board is priced at $24.16 a square foot. The board is also available without the resin gaps for $10.40 a square foot at a thickness of 3 /8 inch.

Xeno Objects has also created a line of vases using the same technique as that used in the Gap Board; these are also available for custom order in a variety of colors and patterns. A set of three small vases retails for $1,100; three large vases retail for $1,400. For more information, visit www.xenoobjects.com or call 512-371-9908.